Drown Em' in Their Own Blood: A Marine's Tale
by Artemis Miller
Summary: The story following a marine and his platoon as they leave the Pillar of Autumn as it sinks into space, and land on the artificial world called Halo.
1. The Pillar of Autumn

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Chapter One  
It was late in the afternoon. I guess. I had been on this ship for so long I had lost a use for time. I didn't care either. I don't think anyone did, for that matter. Only thing they cared about was their job. We had been through alot in the past few days, following Reach and all. I know everyone is scared. No one knows what this Covenant may do. Their technology is more advanced than the Earth's. 100 times more. They claim that it's the will of their god to destroy us, and they are his intstrument.. I don't know who their bullshit god is, but what right does he have to destroy us. We never made fun of him or anything. Heck, we don't even know what he is! I wish I could find out though. I would love to know why so many of our soldiers are dying. It's a lost cause.  
  
I was sitting down with my hands pillowing the back of my head as I heard the loudspeaker "Attention all combat personnel. Please Report to your action stations." I jumped up and looked around. "What the hell is going on". came a voice from behind me. It was Warren Nutt, a clueless person.He was my age, I expected, and was shorter than me. He had bleached blond hair and some big muscles for a little guy. He was transferred from Earth to The Pillar of Autumn. Jesus, I feel sorry for him. He ran over to me and grabbed my arm "Larry, did you hear that? Come on.We don't want that CPO getting on us again!" As marines ran from behind us and to the sides of us to their station. WhenWe got to our place I heard an M12 LRV's screeching tires. The fool jumped over and onto the deck. Suprisingly, everyone stood still. It parked and the sergeant jumped out of the drivers seat. Sarge was a tall dark man, with a mustache. Sergeant Josh Jones had been through alot, I had heard. Somebody even told me he had special access to the SPARTAN project on Reach,, way back when, but I doubted that. He didn't seem smart enough. But what he lacked in smarts he made up for in pure thick-headed-ness. This I could confirm.The loudspeaker spoke again "Fifth Platoon, secure airlocks on deck eleven. Fourteenth Platoon rendezvous with 22nd battle tactical at Bulkhead, Charlie 14." Then the sergeants grim voice spoke up like a M14 LAAG above all others "You heard the lady, you fools! Move like you got a purpose!" At that our platoon was silent as everyone stepped in two straight lines of eight, facing each other exactly a two meters apart. The loudspeaker spoke yet again "This is not a drill. I reapeat, this is not a drill." This was when we all knew things were serious now, not like in training. Some of us wouldn't make it off of this ship alive, if any of us would. The sergeant then stepped out into the middle of the two perfectly straight lines and began his motivation speach "Men, we led those dumb bugs out to the middle of nowhere to keep 'em from gettin' their filthy claws on Earth. But, we stumbled onto somethin' they're so hot for, that they're scramblin' over each other to get it. Well, I don't care if it's God's own personal anti-son-of-a-bitch machine, or a giant hoola hoop, we're not gonna let 'em have it! What we will let 'em have is a belly full of lead, and a pool of their own blood to drown in!" What was this "Anti-son-of-a-bitch machine" he was talking about? Giant Hoola Hoop? What was going on? I was a marine on this ship, and didn't even know what was going on. Sure, while on board I heard something about a large ring in space, after the jump from Reach and all, but I thought they meant like Saturn's rings. I was confused. I wanted to speak up to Sarge. But I knew he'd probably tear my guts out and strangle me with them or something, so I didn't say anything. He yelled yet again, with his arm in the air rooting "Am I right, Marines!?"  
  
Everyone else, including myself raised their arms as well and replied to him, in a motivated manner "Sir, yes Sir!" He gave us a stern look. "Mmmmhmm, damn right I am. Now move it out! Double Time!" He was interrupted by the loudspeaker, again, "All personnel. We are re-engaging the enemy. External and internal contact imminent." We all gave each other frightened looks as the seargeant spoke up "All you greenhorns who wanted to see the Covenant up close. This is your lucky day!" Me and Warren exchanged looks, he leaned over and whispered "Stay with the Sarge, it'll keep you alive longer. Trrrust me. He has the best luck out of anyone on this ship." I only nodded. In my experience there was no such thing as luck. I actually hoped that the sarge would get a head full of plasma lasers, and give him a taste of his own medicine. I didn't want to be cruel though, I'm sure he was a brilliant man, to his mom or something. He yelled like a mad man "Now what the hell are you waiting for, get out of here!" The platoon saluted and turned to their right.  
  
We ran out of the deck and hopped onto the elevator, which took us down until we reached the bridge level. There were two or three other platoons on the elevator, and I did like Taylor said, and stayed with the sergeant. I was right behind him. And Taylor stood to his right. As soon as it stopped, we all flooded out of the elevator, I didn't know my way around the ship. I don't think many of us ground troops did. We just followed the noise and the alarms, and the Petty Officers who were leading our way to the airlocks. Our raid was interrupted when a large boom echoed through the hallways and out of every door in the ship as it rocked back and forth. Some fell and some just wabbled about. I put my hand against the wall and looked in the sergeants direction "Did something just hit us?!" "Something's definetly done hit us!" said Seargent Jones "Stay calm men. We don't have much time before they firgure out how the airlocks work! Let's go, Let's go!" We jumped to our feet and got it together and again followed the three sergeants to the first sight of Covenant activity. Where ever that would be. Me and Warren still ran behind the sarge. He leaned his head over and said in a whisper "I think they've already found the airlocks." I turned my gaze to him as we cut another corner "I wouldn't be so sure of that. Captain Keyes has every airlock on the ship heavily guarded." He didn't reply.  
  
It wasn't long before we reached the Cafeteria, just outside the bridge. The Sargeant of the 6th platoon stopped and peaked into the large room. He waved his arm into the large room , signaling that it was clear. The three groups of Marine's ran into the cafeteria. Me and Warren were still with sarge. Right behind him "covering his back". Warren turned to me and said "So far so good eh, Larry?" I laughed and said "Yea, I bet this whole thing is just a big-" I was interrupted by the buzz of assault rifles. "You want some of this!?" yelled sarge as he popped golden bullets into a grunt's head. "They've accessed the airlocks on the starboard side! They found a way to ambush us as we were coming to them!" screamed Warren as he knealt behind the sergeant. It was hard to hear him through all of the mayhem, but I did. I replied "What about the airlocks on port? The fourteenth platoon was suppose to rendezvous with twenty one! They were coming from starboard! They're not gonna make it!" I shot at a grunt, covering his back. Then A grunt jumped up on the table just where I was hiding, throwing a blue sphere to the other side of the room. I knew I had to do something. The pest hadn't seen me yet. I knew then I had an advantage over him. I popped up and let him have it. Purple blood splattered everywhere as his methane tanks exploded and his armor was pierced by twenty or so bullets from my MA5B Assault Rifle. His body fell to the ground, lifeless. Wiping a bit of sweat from my brow, I looked to my right to make sure everything was clear, other marines were shooting at a large, shark looking Covenant Elite. They were the most tactical, but could escape 15 pounds of lead a second. I unloaded the rest of my clip onto him. Then I looked to my left, seeing a glowing blue sphere. I stood and stared at it for a split second and ran the other direction. It exploded into blue mist as marine's screamed about and bodies from both sides flew from one end of the cafeteria to the other. I flew about a meter I would say and skidded another good meter. I layed there for a moment then got up on one knee and looked around. That was when I saw him. The lone survivor of the SPARTAN II project. The one known as Master Chief. He ran through the covenant like a battle cruiser in hyperspace. Blowing them to their god from left to right. The only thing I could do was put my hands over my head and play dead until the assault rifles stopped. Evetually, they did.  
  
There was nothing but dead silence all over. I stood up to see, what took me by suprise. Sergeant Jones, Warren, and four more people behind them were the only ones left, out of the 34 marines that entered the room. They were, I supposed, Tim Lagoni, a tall man with brown hair, who was in the sixth platoon. It looked like he was the only one left from his group. Stephanie Scott, a pilot who, I assumed, was looking for a life pod, when she stumbled into us. Then there was Lieutenant Ruis, who was jumping out of a Longsword last time I saw her. She was a crew member from Reach, I think. Then there was D.J. Pomposini, an officer in a striped yellow jumpsuit,who worked in the control room over the launching decks. It looked like he had picked up a plasma rifle from a dead Elite, and ran for his life when they entered the starboard airlocks. But everyone looked to the doors on the other side as the Master Chief ran out of them. All you could hear were faint screams of Covenant Elites and Grunts from afar. Sargeant Jones spoke up after the astonishment had faded. "What are we supposed to do!? Theres only three marines here! And just what in the holy name of Deputy Dog are you women doing in the battle zone! You female fools! Get back to where you came from! This is no place for you!" He put his hands on his hips and looked away. An already ill tempered Stephanie spoke up. "Will you shut up, Captain Blasto! We're looking for the life pod. The launching deck is that way!" She pointed in the direction the Master Chief had taken his leave, the starboard side. I didn't want to risk it all. "Now are you coming or what?" She put her hand on her hips as well, while Sargeant Jones mouthed curses to her. The marines talked in between themselves and the Sergeant spoke up again I kind stood back and watched. I didn't want to get myselves killed before I could reach the airlock. Sarge seemed mad, now"Wait a damn minute! The Commanding Officer hasn't said anything about getting off the Pillar of Autumn! Our job is to defend it!" Then the loudspeaker echoed through the ship, it was Captain Keyes "All hands. This is the Captain. Prepare to abandon ship. Ops personnel first. Good luck. Keyes out." Stephanie looked at the Sarge, and smiled. He grunted and retorted "But we still have to defend those airlocks. We were assigned the airlocks on deck one, and that's where heading. Double time, Marines! Head to starboard!" The marines sort of just looked at him, like he was crazy or something. Lieutenant Ruis spoke up "There aren't enough men in your platoon.You'll all die before you can rendezvous with the other platoons on deck eleven.It's not worth it, Sargeant." She looked away from him, disguisted in his choice. His face still looked firm, like he would never change his mind.Tim looked puzzled at the Sarge and sighed "She's right, Sir." Sargeant Jones just sort of cut his eyes to Tim. He wasn't going to change his mind. It would take a miracle. He was like a stone wall. D.J. glanced at Tim and look to the sergeant, I could tell he wanted to cry. "I don't want to die sir." Then I think our miracle came. The sarge looked down. He was definetly touched. I stepped forward a little. Warren put his hand on his shoulder and said "Sir, you know no matter what choice you make we'll stay with you even if we don't agree. Your our supperior." The Sergeant looked behind him at Taylor and lightly forced a smile on his face. I walked over to him and said, still trying to keep my distance incase he wanted to rip my brain out of my head and use it ase a butt cushion "Sarge, I think what Captain Keyes was trying to say is that he wants everyone on this ship to live. Even combat personnel." He turned his head and looked at me, finally he opened his mouth "Your right, marine, we have a new mission now. Get off of the PIllar of Autumn" Everyone sighed in relief. I think the officers were about to lose their shirts they were so impatient. "Now come on" He yelled in the same grim voice. We waved his arm at Stephanie and the Lieutenant "You two lead us ground troops to the Bumblebee launching deck. ASAP!" waved his arm forward and we all huddled near him. The two women got up infront and we followed behind "Go! Go! Go!" The sergeant gave us a faint smile and sunk back behind us. I know I saw a smile on his face, I just know it.  
  
I was suprised at how many dead things there were throughout the halls. Just a few minutes ago everything was okay. It wasn't long before we reached the first launching deck. And we didn't run into any Covenants, or whatever you call them. They're all bugs to me. But, there were no more life pods left. We weren't the only ones there who had hoped for a flight out of here, either. A few scattered platoons were there as well. Two soldiers were over at the large, circular airlock that led on to the deck , making sure there was no covenant activity aroud them. The Sarge went over and talked to another talk dark man, wearing the same rankings as him. Then, they caught us by suprise, again. Another large boom echoed through the entire ship, and it shook. The airklock completely exploded, blowing the two marines into the opposite wall and killing them. Everyone open fired. The ones closest to the vents were knocked upside the head by the Elites, and killed. I shot at them, moving my gun from left to right, not caring what I killed just as long as I killed something. Everyone was yelling at their towering enemies, and trying their best to make their low grade weapons pierce their high grade armor. The sergeant looked behind him at Stephanie and the Lieutenant "Ya'll get to the launching bay and don't take off with out us! We'll find our way to ya! Theres bound to be someone here who knows how to get there!" They both said nothing back and just ran to the next launching deck, 24 meters away, like scared little rabbits. Everyone was scared, I could tell. One marine yelled behind him to his sargeant "We won't be able to hold them for much longer!" I think the sargeant was too scared to say anything though. I looked around and saw another marine get his head blown away by a charged plasma pistol This was terrible. The covenant would totally wipe out the human race if they were discover planet Earth. But, then I remembered the SPARTAN II soldier. Perhaps he would be the one to save the entire species. Now that I've seen the true power of these so called "holy" soldiers, I didn't know if there would be any saving us now. Then I saw through the smoke, like a miracle, the SPARTAN. He looked as if he were a gladiator, finishing off his foe. He stood invincible. Everyone looked at him in amazement as he came up behind the grunts and blew their heads off. The Sarge grabbed my Arm and yelled in my ear "Master Chief has this battle won! Come on!" Then he yelled to everyone else "Let's get out of here! Heggin, Wallace, Dunn, let's go!" He pulled me behind him, up the long corridor to the second deck. I looked behind to see Warren and a few other marines following, shooting behind them trying to hit whatever they could. I think they all knew that the Master Chief would save everyone though, they just wanted to do their part as a Marine.  
  
Only a minute later we had reached the second launching bay, but were behind a wall in no time when we spotted two Elites and about a handfull of Grunts guarding the life pods. Lieutenant Ruis warned us just in time, right before we revealed ourselves to the covenant guarding the area. Stephanie, on the otherhand, was not so lucky. Her lifeless body was lying just off of the wall with a few plasma holes in her gut and a big gash where an Elite had striken her in the scull, which is probably what had killed her. The Lieutenant growled at the Sargeant "There's no way we can get passed them. We're done for." I think the sarge almost thought she was right. He motioned to a few marines that were behind the opposite wall to stay put until further notice. I layed my back up against the wall. I was the one just off of the edge, I was scared I might fall or something. Sarge signaled the troops on the other side to move out and back, and to find another way to the deck. But you wouldn't believe what happened then. The SPARTAN soldier, in all of his glory clapped down the hall and into the launching bay. We all peaked over the corner to see if he was having any luck. He was killing the hell out of them! Something we were so afraid of, he was turning them upside down and hanging them onto the ceiling. The Sarge jumped up from behind the wall and started shooting from left to right at the Covenant that were being defeated. "Help me, you yellow bellies!!" Some of the other soldiers that had followed us got up and joined him, creating a blockade from one wall to the other. I just couldn't do it. I peaked over the corner to see what was going on while assault rifles still buzzed on and off. I looked just in time to see Master Chief blow a grunt to the sky, and run off to the next battle. The Sargeant raised his hand and signaled "It's clear, you wusses, now lets get the hell off of this ship!" I was the last one, right behind Tim Lagoni, to come out from behind the wall Lieutenant Ruis pressed a few buttons on a glass door to the far side of the deck. It slid open and she ran in, jumping into the pilot seat like a jack-rabbit. The sarge put his hand to his mouth and yelled to the marines scattered about "All ashore that's goin' ta shore!" We lined up orderly but messy to get into the cramped space.  
  
I sat in the fourth seat on the starboard side, across from Warren. The Sargeant was the last one in. He shut the door behind us and sat down in the last seat. D.J. sighed and put his hands behind his head "Jesus, it's good to take a load off, eh?" Sarge grimly looked over at him "Don't get too comfy." I sat down and rested my feet, and rubbed my ankles. It felt good to stop walking. Warren smirked and me and then laughed, resting his hands on his assault rifle. "Sucks, don't it?" I looked up at him, then sat straight "I know, really. I'm suprised we made it this far." I rubbed my chin, wondering a bit about what would happen next. It took a few moments before the door was shut and we all were settled in for the bumblebee to warm up and take off. The launch was rough, as we screeched out of the Pillar of Autumn like a small growth popping out. We blasted through, finally, and were in space. Once we got out though, the ride was even rougher. "Them cruisers are gonna destroy the ship!" said one of the marines "I don't think so, I think Captain Keyes is going to try and land it on the ring" said an officer, wearing a red jumpsuit and only armed with a pistol. "Oh! Dis is Loco!" said a spanish soldier on the opposite side, facing the sargeant. I looked over the pilot's seat to try and see where we were going. And then, I saw it for the first time. The big ring in space. The thing everyone was talking about. It was huge. "Are we landing on that thing, Lieutenant?" I spoke up. "Yea, Marine, those were the orders from Captain Keyes" she said kindly, her fingers dancing along the controls. "B-but how, it's just a big structure" I said, scratching my head, confused. Another officer spoke up, he was as well armed as the other officer, but wearing a yellow jumpsuit "I think it has an atmosphere though. It's like an artificial planet." The Lieutenant nodded "Yep, he's right." We all just kind of sat there. Waiting for an answer. Until finally Warren looked over to the sarge and asked him what most of us were wondering "Why didn't Master Chief get on this lifepod? He just walked right passed it, like a moron." The Sarge shrugged "I don't know, marine, maybe he didn't see it, or maybe he had more work to do. Never the less, he'll be getting off." No one said anything. D.J. Turned to the Sarge as well and asked "Do you think Captain Keyes will live?" I sort of knew the answer to this one. Sargeant Jones nodded "I think so. The Captain has been in the military for 25 years. I wouldn't worry about him. He'll find away to keep everything straight." I sighed and looked over the other heads trying to see sarge "What if something goes wrong, and the Pillar of Autumn doesn't make it to the ring?" He sighed as well and layed his head up against the titanium walls of the Bumblebee. "Then it's up to Master Chief, Marine." I looked down and locked my fingers together, just waiting. A few other marines began to talk amongst themselves. I didn't hear a laugh though. This was very serious. Warren tilted his head and looked at me strangely, like an annoying little puppy. "You alright?" He whispered. I simply nodded. I wasn't though. I was scared of what might happen to us. No one knew. This might take the lives of everyone in the human race. This was war.  
  
The Lieutenant's fingers still danced across the control panel as a more stern look crossed her face."Touch down in five" Everyone started to talk again. "Looks like we made!" said an officer somewhere up from. warren smirked and reached for the strap of leather hanging from the roof of the bumblebee and held on. I gritted my teeth as the life pod entered the atmosphere and and shook like crazy. Warren blurted out as we all began to bounce up and down "You sure don't learn this in the academy!" This went on for a good minute until the windows in the front shattered and limbs broke off and stuck through. "We're gonna die!" said a marine sitting beside sargeant. I chuckled a bit. "Shut up, ya wuss!" growled sarge,, and gave him a good bang on the helmet.. "Everythings fine" he proclaimed. I stayed silent,though, I wasn't so sure everything was gonna be fine. The Lieutenant struggled with the stick for a moment and looked behind her seat "Brace yourselves for impact, it's gonna be a rough one, boys!!" "WooHoo!" Tim howled at that. I clenched my fists together and covered my head as we hit the ground. It felt like the bumblebee was coming apart slowly. It also felt as if we were sinking far, far underground. Everyones head whiplashed from one side to the other, and everything was silent, when the craft stopped moving,including the marines. I looked around the pod warily, then blanked out. 


	2. The Halo

Chapter Two  
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The Halo  
  
  
  
  
I slowly opened my eyes to see Warren kneeled down beside me. He had his hand on my back, and patted it a few times "Are you awake?" Can ya move?" He tilted his head. I didn't answer. Another soldier who was outside, looked into the pod and turned back around "Sarge, number 8273645 is awake, Sir." I didn't understand. I felt like I had a concussion or something. I looked around, still dazed. I also looked to see if there was anyone else in the pod besides me and Warren. There wasn't. Except the Lieutenant, who's head was layed back in her chair. Her face was inched with large chunks of glass, from her chin to her forehead. Her arms were slumped over the rests and her mouth was wide opened. She was dead. I turned my head back quickly as Warren unbuckled my seat straps and grabbed me at the elbows. "Come on buddy, you gotta get up. We gotta get moving." I looked around, lifting myself up weakly and throwing my arm around his neck. As we both slothed out of the pod, the Sargeant approached me. I dropped my arm and saluted him. He saluted me back. "Good evening, marine." Warrem looked at him then at me. I didn't say anything. I was too afraid. "What's your name, marine?" he ordered, taking a puff from his alluminum pipe. I still didn't answer him. I was too confused and dazed to say anything. I almost didn't understand what he was saying to me. He huffed one big ol' huff, and turned to Warren "Nutt, what's this marine's name?" Warren grabbed me by the soldier before I fell over again. "Larry Williams, sir. He's from our platoon." He sighed again and dropped onto the ground. The ground was stained with blood, and a few med packs. The Sargeant Jones picked up an assault rifle and two grenades and handed them to me. I weakly reached up and took them. Then I took the assault rifle with my other hand, and rested it on my elbow. "Thank you, sir" I said, and saluted "I am sorry for my ignorance sir, It'll take me awhile to get tuned in." I was shaking by now. But I had also learned that Sarge wasn't the mean jerk that he was cut out to be. He could be reasonable. "Alright, Williams, but you better hurry your tuning or your gonna be plasma fire." He turned around. I saluted again, and replied "Sir, yes sir!" He had already walked off. Warren patted me on the shoulder "I'ma go get me something to eat, or something." "Get me something to, willya?" I said after him "Alright" he replied, not turning around. I looked up at the sky. The wind was howling and it seemed dark. It couldn't be any later that 15 hundred hours though. I also didn't bother asking how long they'd been out of the bumblebee. It didn't really matter, as long as everyone was there and acounted for. I think. I took a step forward, looking around. I saw the big ring above us, and how you could almost see it in space. I looked in awe. I had never seen anything like this. Not many of us had. We were ground troops. Sure some of the Naval Officers had, maybe a few petty officers. To UNSC personnel something like this was normal. But not to a recruit in the UNMC.. Nope. This was far beyond normal.   
It turns out we had landed just off of a large, glowing structure that stood out in the open and shot large blue beams of light in the air. Now, when we saw this, you couldn't imagine how frightened we were. We thought us, out of all the other pods that landed on the planet, we had to land just outside a covenant base. But, after Sarge sent two officers to check it out, it showed their was no life forms in it. It was just there. Sarge told us that it was probably something the forerunners built, and it's still running. Who knows. Who cares. After that was cleared up, everyone just sort of layed there.  
No one had seen a sign of a dropship or anything since we left the Pillar of Autmn. No one even talked Everyone was so bored, and hungrey. Warren had managed to bring back a few black berries he found on a nearby bush, but that was all. He didn't tell anyone but me. That was the good thing about Warren. If he dug up something interesting, he would only share it with those who wanted to know. I had taken a handfull, and he ate two handfulls. It was funny too, how we all just sat there. Bored to death. No one even bothered to keep watch for any covenant activity. Everyone soon regreted that.  
I was half asleep with my helmet in my lap, leaning up against a tree and rotting away in the shade when I heard Tim Lagani's accent "Sarge, look! Covenant dropship, 9 o'clock!." I stood up, and looked at the large purple ship coming in. The Sargeant paused and looked behind him at the rest of the platoon, then back up at the dropship. Indeed it was coming for us. It was landing in a small clearing just on the other side of the structure. We all waited for the sarge to say something, but he didn't. After a moments wait, he turned around and jammed a clip into his MA5B Assault Rifle, and got that look on his face, the same look he had on his face when he was giving us the motivation speach on the Pillar of Autumn. He looked frusterated like he was preparing something long and hard, or like he was about to cry. But all he managed to say was "Give em' hell Marines, give em' hell..." With that he turned around. I glanced over to Warren, who was to my right, and to D.J. Pomposini, who was to my far left. They would cover me. I had hoped.  
When the dropship touched down, Grunts and Elites jumped off of either side, and immediatly started to fire. We fired back too. Our aim seemed better than before. We were more determined to live now, then before on the ship, I think. The invasion of the Pillar of Autumn had given us a new look on life.  
The Sargeant yelled out a battle yell and charged forward, we charged with him. Bullets going from left to right. I stepped back, my Assault rifle infront of me, firing continously. I sunk back with Warren and D.J., Who were both busy firing back at the covenant troops. I looked at Warren and yelled over the buzz of his rifle "You got my back right?" Just then I looked ahead as he shot the gut out of a grunt. He only nodded to me. Then I turned over to D.J. I was about to say something, but I was too late, his head had already been blown away by their needle guns. I closed my eyes tight and looked the other way. The only thing I was taught to do in a heavy combat situation like this. "We can't hold them!" Yelled Tim as he filled his gun with another clip, down on one knee. Everyone just kept shooting.   
Then, down from the hill, came the SPARTAN soldier. I put my hand on the bandanna that covered my head, and smiled in relief as the last of the grunts were killed off by the Petty Officer. When the area was clear, Me and Warren walked over to him and stood. I was so amazed. He had shiny green armor, and a helmet with a shining gold face plate. Just like a gladiator. He carried the same grade assault rifle as us ground troops did. But it just seems more deadly in his hands. Yet, he still stood like any other marine, ready to face the next foe. "It's a mess, sir" Warren finally got out, facing the SPARTAN. I nodded and looked him in his golden visor "It's a good thing you made it, Chief, we were afraid no one else got off the Pillar of Autumn." I smiled after I said that. I know I probably didn't look much like a marine to him. I lost my combat suit awhile ago, and my helmet was back at the tree. I only wore a faded shirt, combat pants and boots, and a faded black bandana. Which I always wore under my helmet to absorb sweat. He walked over to me and put his hand on my shoulder, and nodded. I looked up to him in awe, just as I had before, like he was superman. And in a way, he was.   
My awe was suddenly interrupted when he turned his gaze to the sky, and started running down the hill. There was another dropship coming. Then, another one came out from behind the mountain. There were two of them. They both landed on the far side of the structure, just left of our landing pod. A few marines were still there. They were blasted away immediatly. They took two grunts with them though. Before me and Warren knew what was going on, Master Chief was already there. Doing his job. "C'mon" I yelled behind me at a dumfounded Warren "We'll take a short cut over the structure!" I yelled. He sort of nodded, like he had gone crazy or something. We both ran down the hill, keeping our feet in front of us so we didn't fall on our faces. We turned the corner and ran up ontop of the structure, where a deck officer in a red jumpsuit had just been shot in the chest and killed.There was another officer up there, in yellow, shooting away at the covenant below who were trying to climb the walls of the structure. Three more marines quickly ran up the ramp on the other side and blasted them away. Then, in the middle of the great battle, another drop ship came behind the structure, then another. "Look, up ahead!" Warren yelled. I just stared. The large purple ship was raining down big pink plasma bolts upon the marines spread around the area."They're trying to flank us!" The sargeant yelled from the the other side of the battle field. It really got serious though when grunts ran up the ramps of the structure and started to fire upon the marines up there. Me and Warren cautiously firing back at them. After all the shooting, we were now low on ammo, and only shot in small groups. This also gave us more accuracy. I shrieked to Warren as the officer in the yellow jumpsuit was blown off the side of the structure and fell to his doom "We have to get off this big cement block for a start!" "I don't know how! Both the ramps are blocked!" He screamed in my ear so I could hear him over the gun fire."Find a way!" I retorted back in an un-assuring deep voice. I threw my clip down and popped in another, and began to fire at the rappidly grown covenant platoon forming up the ramps of the structure. I knew the troops on the ground didn't have it any better though. "He turned his head quick, then turned it back to the approaching Grunts "Follow me this way!" he said, also putting in another clip. He began to run, I ran after him, keeping my aim behind me as I hit a Grunt between the eyes. We ran all the way down to the other side of the structure. Then we turned the corner. "We should be safe here..." Warren said, out of breath. "I don't..uhh...I don't think so..." I retorted to him, wide eyed. The opposite cornered of the wall we were leaning against wall was filled with Jackels and elites. No way would make it. We both just stood there for a moment, and listened to the comotion down below the structure. "Look!" Warren exclaimed out the blue, suddenly pointing to the batallion on the opposite wall "It's Master Chief!" I turned the corner and watched. The SPARTAN was blowing them away yet again. His battle tactics were amazing. He was an army in himself.  
As we caught our gaze of the last Elite being shot to the ground with a painful howl, we came out from around the corner and met the Sarge and the five other marines remaining at the bottom of the ramp. The Sargeant saluted us both "Good job, men! " He also turned to the other marines and saluted them as well "Foe-Hammer'll be here in five for extraction. Sattle up." At that we all cheered. Marines jumped up and gave each other high fives, others hugged eachother, or shook eachother's hands. We were all happy to be alive. And we were gonna make it off of this ring. We wouldn't be anywhere without Master Chief though. He saved us all just in time. Now, I am sure he is the only hope for the human people. And we all need that. Someday My grandchildren will look back to this day, and know that their grandfather had the chance to meet one of the greatest heroes of all time. It was good feeling. Warren put his arm around my shoulder and started walking. "C'mon, Foe-Hammer's here." I looked to him nodded. We started walking behind the Sarge to the dropship. The Pelican had brought a M12 LRV Warthog with it, and dropped it on the ground, the landed softly behind it.. Master Chief jumped in, and Tim Lagoni got at the gun in the back. They were both crazy to stay here. But what ever Master Chief had to do, was fine by me. I know I wasn't going to question it. They drove off, and off, and off until they dissapeared into a riverbed. I actually didn't think I'd ever see Tim Lagoni again.  
When everyone was safely seated and strapped into the Pelican, Foe-Hammer took off. "Where to boys?" The cheerful woman laughed through the loudspeaker. "Anywhere but right here, Foe-Hammer, would be best." Sargeant Jones snickered. I laughed at their conversation. So did Warren. "How bout I take you to where Master Chief is going, Sargeant?" She said laughing even harder now. "Don't make me come in there, Foe-Hammer!" Screeched the sargeant, now to a good laugh. Foe-Hammer was cracking up in the cock pit though. I tilted my head closer to Warren so he could hear me over the roar of the engines "Where do you think we're going?" He shrugged and removed his hat, running his hand through his hair, and shaking off the sweat "I don't know, Larry. Hopefully somewhere far away from here.Hopefully to another cruiser." He put his hat back on, with that. I looked out the window as we zoomed off from the battle field. Now I could see alot of those big structures with the blue beams shooting out, all over the area. I also got a good glance at how big the ring really was. Soon, we would find more about it, and more about it's terrible but true purpose. It was only a matter of time. 


End file.
